6.5 x 55 Carl Gustav?

[The Gun Pimp]

Toby

You are always taking a risk when you buy an old military rifle - if you want a shooter.

I've seen great rifles with superb looking bores - that were used for training and were absolutely shot out!

Most shooters with military rifles at my club use them in competition - they are shooters - and the club notice board is the best place to get one.

Cheers
Vince

[TobyH]

I guess its a matter of trial and error. If one isn't a good shooter then I'll sell it on and get another till I find a good one. They tend to be similar prices...

[ovenpaa]

The problem is often selling them on, some places such as Fultons will let you try the rifle at Short Siberia before parting with your cash, downside is you are going to pay a premium for this service. Better to buy from someone you know or know of who will tell you how it shoots. I know of a Swedish Mauser sniper that has a reproduction bracket on it but shoots very well and has taken some of the historic comps in the past and has detailed load data with it. He may part with it as he now has a fully original version.

[TobyH]

Sounds like its right up my street. Does it still have the open sights?

[ovenpaa]

To be honest I cannot remember as it is a while since I saw it, I can confirm it shoots well though, and it is in 'our' area as well.

[TobyH]

Lets hope the variation doesn't take too long!

[dromia]

Good Swedish Mausers are getting hard to get. The stock disc markings tell the bore condition at the last arsenal refurb but do not take any notice of them as there is no guarantee that the stock disc really comes from that rifle and you have no way of knowing how many shots its fired since the stock disc was last marked.

When I go looking at rifle I always take a pocket full of condom bullets of measured diameter for the calibres I'm looking at and use them as a muzzle gauge, crude I know but it can still tell you a lot about the muzzle wear by how far it enters the barrel as well as serving as a reference point for any uneven muzzle wear and crown condition.

Have a good look at the throat and see if there is any of the lands left, throat wear can be quiete advanced with sound rifling at the muzzle but of too advanced will lead to boolit/bullet deformation which will degrade accuracy.

That is one of the advantages of cast boolits you are more likely to get a good throat filling design and most perform better in military rifles with a little throat wear.

Take a good bore light with you and check the barrels rifling full lengths from both ends, a dark barrel is not necessarily a poor shooting barrel some barrels are just dark and dirty for ever. Light pitting is also not an issue as I've shot many rifles with mote pits overall with no adverse effect on accuracy after the barrel has seasoned in.

If possible see if you can get to push a tightish oiled patch or two through the bore, this will give you an idea of how dirty the barrel is to give context to your visual inspection and allow you to feel for any tight or rough spots. A slack muzzle and a tight throat is a definite no no.

Read up as much as possible on the rifle you are after before hand so that you know what you are looking for and the little bits of information particular to that rifle that will help you make an assesment. For example the muzzle bearing weight on a No4.

Checking mechanical functioning is obvious but should be thoughtfull and thorough, whats the trigger pull like? is there any binding of the bolt? ask for or have with you an empty case and ask if you can try the the ejection, hows the magazine follower spring? some can be tired and not present the last cartrdge properly. If you come across issues then think could the problem be rectified easily, a lot of the times all it takes is a good clean and a bit of oil or grease.

Finally how does the rifle feel, does it speak to you as you will never shoot well with a rife that you don't like.

Most military rifles can be got to perform and those that won't you have good chance of weeding out through a well though out inspection.

The above is not complete by any means but I hope it helps point you in the right direction.

[TobyH]

Thanks for that Dromia, gives me some good tips on what to look for.

[TobyH]

Not that I even have a CG rifle yet, but just happen to come across Lothar Walthar website and they happen to make a barrel specific for the CG m/96.

Just wondering what kind of quality they are. They are Button rifled.

[ovenpaa]

Lothar Walthar have a good reputation.